Freddie Graham with the Kennett Chamber of Commerce presents the KHS valedictorian, George Panousis. [Click to enlarge]

We came, we saw, we conquered," was a great way to sum up the accomplishments of the graduates of Kennett High School's class of 2008, which were celebrated on Thursday during a commencement ceremony at Metz Cherry Stadium.

Class Valedictorian George Panousis chose the Latin Veni Vidi Vici quote coined by Julius Caesar as a way to congratulate the class of 2008, which included himself and 99 others.

Panousis, 18, is the son of Steve and Georgia Panousis of Kennett. His school activities include being a member and 2007-2008 president of Key Club; member of K-Club, student council, National Honor Society, Alpha and Omega, FCA, FBLA, Academic Team, Science Club, Pep Club, The Click, Varsity Soccer, Tatler Staff, and Yearbook Staff.

Freddie Graham with the Kennett Chamber of Commerce presents the KHS salutatorian, Jessica Greenway. [Click to enlarge]

The 2008 valedictorian plans to attend the University of Missouri-- Columbia next fall where he will be majoring in biology to eventually get a degree in medicine.

"As you see, we have come a long way since those first steps on the Kennett High School campus," Panousis said during his speech. "And though we thought this day would not come soon enough, tonight it has, and it truly is bittersweet."

Bittersweet, was a feeling shared by all on Thursday, including the 2008 salutatorian Jessica Greenway.

Greenway, 18, is the daughter of Jackie and Phillip Greenway of Kennett. Her activities and awards include being actively involved in Key Club, as the vice president, Alpha and Omega Club as vice president, FCA, Student Council, FBLA, Library Club, K-Club, National Honor Society serving as the Fundraising Chair, The Tribe, Black and Gold Club, Science Club, The Click, and Rotary Club Hostess.

Greenway participated in basketball, volleyball, and cheerleading where she was the captain. She also participated in varsity choir and is a member of the Tatler Staff. Some of her awards include: "A" Honor Roll, All conference Basketball all four years, Distinguished Key Club Vice President, Who's Who Among American High School Students, Homecoming Queen, Freshman Homecoming Maid, Sophomore Christmas Ball Maid, Junior Christmas Ball Maid, Senior Court Warming Maid, and Rotary International District 6060-Missouri in her honor a donation to sponsor two shares of support in water projects in Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, and Zambia. Greenway was also selected as a Missouri Finalist in Miss Missouri Homecoming USA.

Greenway's plans for the future are to pursue the medical field and receive a doctorate in physical therapy. She plans on working with the Memphis Methodist Transplant Center and specializing in physical therapy for transplant patients. After a couple of years, Greenway plans to return to the Kennett community to open her own office, and "give back to a community that has so graciously been supportive to her and her family."

Unlike other surrounding schools, it is not typical for the valedictorian and salutatorian to speak during the commencement ceremony. Rather, before graduation, the senior class votes to elect who they would like to speak at graduation, as the valedictorian and salutatorian are not revealed until the night of the ceremony.

Panousis was one of the four graduation speakers elected by his class. Nicholas Jain, Chelsea White, and Jordan Shelton also spoke at graduation.

Jain, 18, is the son of Dr. Dave and Glenda Jain of Kennett. His after-graduation plans include attending journalism school and the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Missouri-- Columbia, where he plans to pursue degrees is both journalism and political science with plans of later attending law school.

White, 18, is the daughter of Greg and Missy Harris of Kennett and Steve and Paula White of Blytheville, Ark.

She is the 2008 class president and has been involved in Student Council, Varsity Choir, Science Club, International Thespian Society, Varsity Cheerleading, National Honor Society, The Click, Pep Club, Key Club, and school plays and musicals.

The fourth speaker, Jordan Shelton, is the 18-year-old daughter of Lori Telgen of Kennett. She is the Secretary of Student Council, President of Varsity Choir, Alto Section Leader in both Varsity and female chorus, Song Leader of the National Honor Society, President of International Thespian Society, Art Club member, President of The Click, Pep Club member, and fall play and spring musical participant.

Although each speech was different and unique in its own right, all of them shared the same congratulatory and motivational theme.

In Jain's humorous, yet, serious and well-researched speech, he told his fellow graduates: "Congratulations! We made it. But as Frank Sinatra would say, 'The Best is Yet to Come.' There is so much to look forward to."

In White's speech, guests heard about all of the people that have helped to make the 2008 class exceptionally successful.

"I feel that each and every one of us in the class of 2008 has created a legacy, a legacy of hard work and scholastic achievement," White said. "We have set the bar high for underclassmen and I can only hope that they can achieve what we have done when they are seniors."

White's advice to her classmates was to think about who they each are as individuals and stand up to any challenges that may cross their paths to success.

"I ask each of you when faced with life's challenges to never give up," White said. "The risk takers that have met life's challenges are the one's that have built this great nation."

While reminiscing on her memories of high school and what she had learned from the experience, Shelton noted that in writing her speech, "I learned that these simple and seemingly insignificant memories are actually so much more. They represent the unspoken bond that has been built between us as classmates."

"Crossing this stage and receiving our diplomas signifies the end of our time as students of Kennett High School," Shelton later noted. "However, it also marks the beginning of the next chapter in our lives. My hope is that we all go on to do great things, fulfill our dreams, and at least do something to make the world a little better, while looking back fondly on all the lasting impressions we made on each other and the memories we shared."

The recent graduates who will one day look back on the memories from 2004 to 2008 and most likely smile as they remember time spent at Kennett High School include Brianne Nicole Adaway, Nina Simone Rena Aldridge, Natasha Lue Autry, Bradley Shawn Bailey, Mileah Nicole Baker, Randy Hubert Blankenship, Stacie Marie Bonee, Danny Shane Branum, Theodore Alexander Briscoe, Whitney Marie Burdin, Michael Christopher Burns, Benjamin Tolly Caldwell, Aaron Mitchell Campbell, Kaylon Thomas Crow Campbell, Demetrius Cortez Childress, Ashley Dawn Choat, Tyumbre De'undra Coleman, Terri Katherine Crawford, Jason Cory Crosskno, John Tyler Daily, Hampton Taylor Deck, Lauren Elizabeth Dollins, Christina Jo Doughten, Ashley Marie Downs-Arnett, Ellen Donielle Drake, Diane Michelle Duke, Cameron Ross Dye, Amanda Brooke Ellis, Austin Douglas Fender, Joshua Stacy Finney, Joseph Andrew Lee Flood, Jessica Dawn Ford, Brittaine Ann Gee, Tyler Dustin Gentry, Jessica M. Greenway, Emily Ann Guthrie, Heather Danelle Guthrie, Brandon Scott Hargrave, Ashton Jarrod Harrell, Aaron Blake Harris, Payton Ray Harris, Cierra Chantelle Hefner, Bret Alan Hernandez, Julio Hernandez, Julion Abbeyea Hill, Alisha Lynn Hockaday, Rachel Lynn Hopper, Samantha Kay Horton, Brian Patrick Jackson, Nicholas Dave Jain, Quenesha Carri Johnson, LaTasha Erica Jones, Tanisha LaDawn Jones, Antoine Lamar Kelly Jr., Thomas Daniel Kruger, Ashlee Brooke Lee, Joshua Chase Lemonds, LaCorsica Simone Lemons, Justin Nicholas Mathes, Kayleigh LaCosta Mays, Robert Casey McKenna, Adam Lee McRill, Danny Lewis Merritt, Brittany Dawn Mikel, Bridget Jayne Moore, Michael Adam Nadler, Tuyen Thanh Thi Nguyen, George Panousis, Zackwrie Parr III, Katie Nichole Pitts, Lindsey Michelle Pruett, Jason Thomas Rasberry, Kristopher Ryan Rebstock, Rachel Lynne Richardson, William Tyler Roberts, Johnathan Tyler Rogers, Melodie Rochelle Scallorns, Jordan Elizabeth Shelton, Leanna Siebenhuener, Jeffery Allen Singleton Jr., Derek Keith Smith, Ashley Nicole Snider-Decker, Melani Christine Snipes, Jeffery Allen Stone II, Ashley Dawn Street, Andrea Denise Taylor, Joshua Laben Tefft, George Junior Thompson II, Kimberly Renee Vance, Zachary Ross Vavak, Megan Maren Walker, Jerrica Megan Watson, Justin Keith Wells, Jeremy Keith Westerfield, Shannon Kaye Wheeler, Chelsea Lee White, Joseph Walter Willett Jr., LaQuida Marie Williams, Samantha Ann Wilson, and Jordan Nicole Wiseman.

Following the presentation of diplomas by Board of Education president Matthew R. Shetley, several awards and scholarships were presented to select members of the class of 2008.

Those students who were awarded College Preparatory Certificates by KHS principal Ed Sienbenhuener included Theodore A. Briscoe, Whitney M. Burdin, John T. Daily, Hampton T. Deck, Cameron R. Dye, Amanda B. Ellis, Austin D. Fender, Jessica M. Greenway, Ashton J. Harrell, Aaron B. Harris, Nicholas D. Jain, Tanisha L. Jones, Tanisha L. Jones, Joshua C. Lemonds, Michael A. Nadler, George Panousis, Zackwrie Parr III, Lindsey M. Pruett, Jason T. Rasberry, Johnathan T. Rogers, Melodie R. Scallorns, Jordan E. Shelton, Leanna Siebenhuener, Ashley D. Street, Jerrica Megan Watson, Chelsea L. White, and Samantha A. Wilson.

These students earned a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the combined areas of English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies, and have scored above the national average on the American College Test (ACT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).

The Best All Around Student award was presented to two graduates, which included Nicholas Jain and George Panousis.

Educational scholarships included:

* Bish Rainey Memorial Scholarship presented by Superintendent Jerry Noble: Jessica M. Greenway; Alternate: Jerrica "Megan" Watson.

* Coca Cola Scholarship presented by Superintendent Jerry Noble: Ashley Snider- Decker; Alternate: Michael Nadler.

* James Singleton Scholarship presented by Sol Astrachan: Jordan Shelton; Alternate: Whitney Burdin.

* John M. Dalton Educational Trust Fund presented by Johnny Dalton: Ashton Harrell; Alternate: Andrea Taylor.

* John W. & Lorene Trovillion Education Scholarship presented by Bob Holder: Ashley Street, Brooke Ellis and Jason Rasberry.

* Kennett A+ Schools Grant presented by Debra Garrett: Brianne Adaway, Shane Branum, Ben Caldwell, Lauren Dollins, Christina Doughten, Austin Fender, Payte Harris, Samantha Horton, LaTasha Jones, Tanisha Jones, Ashlee Lee, Bridget Moore, Kris Rebstock, Rachel Richardson, Melani Snipes, Jeremy Westerfield, Shannon Wheeler and Samantha Wilson.

* Kennett Kiwanis/Key Club Dr. George Q. Dunmire Education Scholarship presented by president Jim Ingram: George Panousis; Alternate: Megan Walker.

* Kennett Rotary Club Jody Mills Memorial Scholarship presented by president John McClellan: Leanna Siebenhuener; Alternate: Jessica Greenway.

* Kimberly Wilburn Drama Scholarship presented by Superintendent Jerry Noble: Zachary Vavak.

* Permanent Membership in National Honor Society presented by Jordan Malady: Alex Briscoe, Whitney Burdin, Hampton Deck, Brooke Ellis, Brittaine Gee, Jessica Greenway, Nicholas Jain, Josh Lemonds, Michael Nadler, Tuyen Nguyen, George Panousis, Zackwrie Parr, Lindsey Pruett, Jason Rasberry, Jordan Shelton, Leanna Siebenhuener, Ashley Snider-Decker, Ashley Street, Andrea Taylor, Jerrica Megan Watson, Chelsea White and Jordan Wilseman.

* Recognition Scholarship presented by Superintendent Jerry Noble: Ashton Harrell; Alternate: Ashley Downs- Arnett.

* Senath State Bank Mid- County scholarship presented by Diane Risner: Jordan Wiseman; Alternate: Samantha Horton.

* Southern Missouri Bank & Trust Scholarship presented by Superintendent Jerry Noble: Chelsea White and Jordan Wiseman.

* Tungsiripat Scholarship presented by Principal Ed Siebenhuener: George Panousis.

* Twin Rivers Regional Medical Center Medical Scholarship presented by John McClellan: Ashley Snider-Decker.

Following the presentation of scholarships, graduate Jessica Ford provided the benediction just before the class of 2008 tossed their caps into the air in celebration of a successful high school career.